SAUDI EXPATRIATES

The Puritan Benett (PB560) portable ventilator was built by Riyadh-based AlRowad Technology, The company aims to make about 6,000 ventilators a year.

- American-Irish medical technology company Medtronic designed and built the original PB560. Trending : Saudi Arabia approves equivalence of CoviShield vaccine with AstraZeneca

- After a global shortage of ventilators during the Covid-19 Pandemic in March, the Medtronic took the unexpected step of sharing the design specifications and software code of the device to allow other companies around the world to manufacture their own versions.

- According to the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources the device met international specifications and had been manufacture with pride in Saudi Arabia.

- He said, this step comes after the world is facing great challenges due to ongoing pandemic and its continuous effects on daily supply chains and basic supplies, especially in the field of health care.

- The Saudi Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al Rabiah said the manufacture of ventilators will contribute to combating the pandemic due to the constant need of devices in hospitals. Recommend : Corona vaccines used in Saudi Arabia are highly safe - Health Ministry

- Medical industry is one of the most complex and further advanced and that his ministry was working with national companies to localize production of medical devices added the Health minister.

- Nine companies submitted prototypes, but Al-Rowad got the permission to go ahead, about 50 employees to work on the project. The National Center for Industrial Development reveals that Al Rowad Technology had get permission from Saudi Food and Drug Authority to manufacture the PB560.

- This agreement demonstrates the level of global confidence in Saudi market. The PB560 is compact and lightweight making it ideal for health care centers and can also be used at home. Follow Saudi Expatriates on Twitter